Silfra

The clearest water on earth

Silfra, the fissure between the continents

The Silfra fissure, is known as one of the top dive sites in the world for two main reasons.

First, the Silfra fissure is actually a crack between the North American and Eurasian continents, meaning that you dive or snorkel right where the continental plates meet and drift apart about 2cm per year.

Silfra is the only place where one can dive or snorkel directly in the crack between two continental plates.

Secondly, the underwater visibility in the Silfra fissure is over 100 meters, which creates an underwater experience that will rarely, if ever, be surpassed. The reasons for this astounding water clarity are twofold: the water is cold (2°C – 4°C year round ) as it is glacial water from the nearby Langjökull and this water is filtered through porous underground lava for 30-100 years until it reaches the north end of Thingvellir lake, seeping out from underground wells. The Silfra water is as pristine as water can get and you can drink it at anytime during your dive or snorkel.

The Silfra fissure consists of four sections: Silfra Big Crack, Silfra Hall, Silfra Cathedral, and Silfra Lagoon. We plan our dives and snorkel swims so that we are able to see all Silfra sections in every Diving Silfra Day Tour and our Silfra Snorkeling Tour. We enter the water from a platform with steps leading down. If you are diving, the maximum depth of the your dive in Silfra will be 18 meters, but the average depth of the dive is between 7 and 12 meters.

Although Thingvellir Lake has an abundance of fish species and trout fishing is very popular in the lake, the fish usually do not venture far into the Silfra fissure. The marine life in Silfra consists mostly of bright green “troll hair” and different types of algae that provide a colorscape unlike anything that occurs naturally above the surface.

The National Park Thingvellir has been declared a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE both for its cultural and historical significance as well as natural and geological uniqueness. It is well worth it to join our Golden Circle Day Tour to further explore Thingvellir on land. Moreover, if you have friends or family accompanying you on your tour but do not wish to get in the water themselves, the area around Silfra is full of lovely walking trails that lead through this fascinating place.

We plunge into Silfra on our

Diving Silfra Day Tour

The most popular dive tour in Iceland

Snorkeling Silfra Day Tour

The most popular Snorkeling Tour in Iceland

Dive Silfra & the Golden Circle

All the highlights in one day

Dive & Snorkel Sites in Iceland

Out of this world dive & snorkel sites

Frequently asked Questions

How far is it to Silfra from Reykjavik?

It is about 60 km from Reykjavik to Silfra and it takes a little less than one hour to drive the distance by car. If you choose t drive yourself and don‘t know the way, please plan in a buffer so the group doesn't have to wait for you. You can find a map with directions on our Contact page.

How cold is the water in Silfra?

The water temperature is 2-4°Celsius all year around. This converts to 35-39°Fahrenheit.

Do you see any life in Silfra?

No, not really. Silfra is a scenic dive and even though there are plenty of fish in Thingvellir lake, we hardly see them in the Silfra fissure itself.